Freelander 1 Turbo on its way ??

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Whistler

Member
Posts
98
Location
Devizes, Wiltshire UK
When the seals start to go on the TD4 turbo, does it start leaking oil down the back of the engine ?? Mines been smoking on start up quite a bit for a while now (clears after about 30 seconds or so and then runs fine), and I've noticed its been "marking its territory" for a while but had not connected the two. But I got it in the garage to do an oil change today, and after a good drive to warm it up I left it ticking over on the drive for about 10 mins and it left a bit of a puddle. Up on stands with the sump guard off there was oil all over the bottom of the engine, but its definitely coming from somewhere higher up at the back of the engine, and looking at the turbo I could see an oil drip on the bottom of the alloy turbo casing and more in that general area. Its also "splattered" on the back of the engine, but that appears to be from the oil leaking onto the inner driveshaft joint and being spun off everywhere (I've carefully checked) the CV boot and its not split or damaged at all and its not leaking from the driveshaft oil seal. When running, it doesn't seem to smoke noticeably, only when first started from cold.
So I'm thinking its turbo oil seals ?
 
Whistler said:
When the seals start to go on the TD4 turbo, does it start leaking oil down the back of the engine ?? Mines been smoking on start up quite a bit for a while now (clears after about 30 seconds or so and then runs fine), and I've noticed its been "marking its territory" for a while but had not connected the two. But I got it in the garage to do an oil change today, and after a good drive to warm it up I left it ticking over on the drive for about 10 mins and it left a bit of a puddle. Up on stands with the sump guard off there was oil all over the bottom of the engine, but its definitely coming from somewhere higher up at the back of the engine, and looking at the turbo I could see an oil drip on the bottom of the alloy turbo casing and more in that general area. Its also "splattered" on the back of the engine, but that appears to be from the oil leaking onto the inner driveshaft joint and being spun off everywhere (I've carefully checked) the CV boot and its not split or damaged at all and its not leaking from the driveshaft oil seal. When running, it doesn't seem to smoke noticeably, only when first started from cold.
So I'm thinking its turbo oil seals ?
Click to expand...

hi

hope u don't mind me saying but have u checked and done the basics, i.e. crankcase breather , turbo actuator filter , checked intercooler hoses for splits , turbo vane actuator arm, air filter, egr blank, map sensor is clean

when u pull out the engine dipstick is there any pressure coming out, if so that would indicate a block crankcase breather

the turbo drain oil pipe can leak as well

also please make sure ur turbo isn't failing , as when they totally fail , suck all the oil out of ur engine and seize it , not trying to scare u under any circumstances, just make sure it's checked and ur aware of it

have u cleaned all of the oil off so i can see exactly where it's coming from
 
Last edited:
Whistler said:
When the seals start to go on the TD4 turbo, does it start leaking oil down the back of the engine ?? Mines been smoking on start up quite a bit for a while now (clears after about 30 seconds or so and then runs fine), and I've noticed its been "marking its territory" for a while but had not connected the two. But I got it in the garage to do an oil change today, and after a good drive to warm it up I left it ticking over on the drive for about 10 mins and it left a bit of a puddle. Up on stands with the sump guard off there was oil all over the bottom of the engine, but its definitely coming from somewhere higher up at the back of the engine, and looking at the turbo I could see an oil drip on the bottom of the alloy turbo casing and more in that general area. Its also "splattered" on the back of the engine, but that appears to be from the oil leaking onto the inner driveshaft joint and being spun off everywhere (I've carefully checked) the CV boot and its not split or damaged at all and its not leaking from the driveshaft oil seal. When running, it doesn't seem to smoke noticeably, only when first started from cold.
So I'm thinking its turbo oil seals ?
Click to expand...

I would agree with you on this
 
If a turbo seal fails, it doesn't generally fail externally. What it does do is pump oil into the inlet tract or exhaust system. If lots of oil enters the inlet, then the engine can burn the oil and "runaway". If oil enters the exhaust, then it smokes clouds of white smoke without the engine screaming it's nuts off.

Oil dripping from outside the engine could be the cam cover gasket or turbo oil feed leaking slightly.
 
Last edited:
Nodge68 said:
If a turbo seal fails, it doesn't generally fail externally. What it does do is pump oil into the inlet tract or exhaust system. If lots of oil enters the inlet, then the engine can burn the oil and "runaway". If oil enters ths exhaust, then it smokes clouds of white smoke without the engine screaming it's nuts off.

Oil dripping from outside the engine could be the cam cover gasket or turbo oil feed leaking slightly.
Click to expand...

hi mate , hope ur well , plus many thks for explaining it a lot better :D
 
Hmmm, so maybe the leak might not be from the turbo then - I'd assumed it would leak externally. Its definitely engine oil thats dripping out but its very difficult to see where from, even from underneath. The engine is not running on or pouring out any smoke at all - just a good old puff of grey smoke when started from cold (which I had put down to old injectors - its on 120k miles), then after 30 seconds or so it runs nicely, no smoke at all.

Thanks for the other suggestions, but everything else mentioned was checked/replaced/upgraded when I had the engine out earlier this year to do the clutch and flywheel. I replaced the rocker cover seal then as well, but I'll take the covers off again and see if maybe thats failed or not seated properly for some reason, and check the turbo drain pipe. Maybe the best way is to run it up to temperature, let it start dripping and get it up in the air and try to see where its coming from "real time". I hope its not the turbo, I can't really justify the expense of replacing it, but I have developed a soft spot for the little Freelander.
 
I got the TD4 into the garage this morning and removed the airbox cover to give me a bit more room and visibility. Because of the design of the cam cover its difficult to see for sure if its leaking at the rear, but there's definitely oil high up and around the back in that area. Feeling around with my fingers, they came out oily and its the fresh clean oil I put in the engine yesterday ! The lower half of the vacuum cylinder bolted on the right hand side of the head was soaked in oil and its dripping from there down onto the bell housing, so it seems probable that its coming from the cam cover. Its also weeping at the left hand corner rear corner of the cam cover as well, looks like from the half round seal on the rear cam. There was a coating of oil there and its been dripping down onto the thermostat. So I'm now thinking the new cam cover gasket I fitted either didn't seat properly (though I did it very carefully and everything was spotless - the engine was out of the car when I fitted the cover back on) or its a faulty/crap part. I'm pretty sure it was a pattern part so I guess I'll buy a genuine one and fit that, see if it sorts it out. But it doesn't appear to be the turbo, at least at the moment :confused:
 
Whistler said:
I got the TD4 into the garage this morning and removed the airbox cover to give me a bit more room and visibility. Because of the design of the cam cover its difficult to see for sure if its leaking at the rear, but there's definitely oil high up and around the back in that area. Feeling around with my fingers, they came out oily and its the fresh clean oil I put in the engine yesterday ! The lower half of the vacuum cylinder bolted on the right hand side of the head was soaked in oil and its dripping from there down onto the bell housing, so it seems probable that its coming from the cam cover. Its also weeping at the left hand corner rear corner of the cam cover as well, looks like from the half round seal on the rear cam. There was a coating of oil there and its been dripping down onto the thermostat. So I'm now thinking the new cam cover gasket I fitted either didn't seat properly (though I did it very carefully and everything was spotless - the engine was out of the car when I fitted the cover back on) or its a faulty/crap part. I'm pretty sure it was a pattern part so I guess I'll buy a genuine one and fit that, see if it sorts it out. But it doesn't appear to be the turbo, at least at the moment :confused:
Click to expand...

Cam cover gaskets are a common place for BMW engines to leak. I've often found that genuine gaskets seal better than aftermarket alternatives.
 
Thanks, just taken it all apart and sure enough the cam cover gasket is leaking at the rear right hand corner. Looking at it closely, right in that corner the sealing grooves change pattern. The genuine one I've just bought does the same, but on the pattern part there is a definite step, so obvious why it was leaking. The rubber also feels harder on the pattern part (and its only been in place for a few months).

Thanks for all the input :)
 
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